


The Righteous Man

by lemonsorbae



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-25
Updated: 2012-12-25
Packaged: 2017-11-22 09:11:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/608182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemonsorbae/pseuds/lemonsorbae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It shouldn't have come as a shock to him when Cas had sat Dean down and stared seriously into his eyes stating, “Dean, I’d like to participate in the Sabbath.” Dean had opened his mouth to protest, but the look on Cas’ face, like that of a child wanting to be taken seriously by an adult complete with those big, stupid, pleading blue eyes of his, had forced the word, “okay” out instead and that was that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Righteous Man

**Author's Note:**

> so, i wrote this awhile ago late one night while i was trying to crank something else out for another story i was working on. this came to me and i ended up staying up till 7am to finish it. it is un-betad so don’t judge me too harshly. enjoy.

Dean tugged at his tie in an attempt to loosen it. It was already hanging somewhat slack off of his neck, but the damn thing still felt confining. Leaning over the bathroom sink, Dean turned the cold water on and splashed some of it on his face. As the drops ran down his cheeks and chin and dripped into the sink, he studied himself in the mirror. "You look ridiculous." He muttered at his reflection with a shake of his head. Sure the monkey suit was becoming a more frequent get up these days what with he and his brother's hunts focusing on more intense creatures and all, but at those times, the suit was a necessity therefore bearable. 

Today he was sporting the atrocious get-up because a pair of pleading blue eyes had gotten the better of him. It shouldn't have come as a shock to him when Cas had sat Dean down and stared seriously into his eyes stating, "Dean, I'd like to participate in the Sabbath." He had been an angel for most of his life, after all. But it had been months since Cas had been cut off from Heaven and become completely and irreversibly human and Dean had thought they were in the clear with "all this God stuff".

Dean had opened his mouth to protest, but the look on Cas' face, like that of a child wanting to be taken seriously by an adult complete with those big, stupid, pleading blue eyes of his, had forced the word, "okay" out instead and that was that. Dean had agreed to attend church with Castiel. He had begged Sam to join them and while Sam was usually more of the faithful type, he had elected to sit this one out, declaring he'd meet them at Bobby's. Jerk. 

Cas popped his head into the bathroom, he wasn't smiling, but happiness hummed in his veins and Dean could tell he was eager to leave. "Are you almost ready?" he asked.  
Dean turned to him and began straightening Cas's ever crooked tie. "Can't wait." He stated sarcastically. "Let's go."

 

Dean glanced up at the majestic spires of the gray stone church building before following Cas through the enormous oak doors that led into the congregation hall. The service hadn't quite started yet and people were still trying to find seats. The air thronged with light conversation and soft laughter. Cas offered Dean a smile before heading up the isle to a few empty seats on one of the wooden benches on the left side of the chapel, curious eyes following them the whole way. 

It looked like any other church Dean had visited throughout his lifetime. Paintings of the Virgin Mary with her Christ child, the Savior and his 12 disciples, and angels with glowing halos and velvety wings scattered the walls. Brilliant beams of sunlight shone in through the long windows, providing enough light to allow the congregation to operate by sunlight rather than electricity. But despite all the light and smiling and angelic faces surrounding him, Dean sat stiff as a board on the bench. For all the roles he'd played when visiting a church, faithful-churchgoer had never been one of them and he could feel the eyes of the regular attendees on his and Cas's unfamiliar faces. Cas could feel Dean's tense muscles beside him and he rested his hand gently on Dean's back. 

"It's okay to relax, you know." Cas murmured in Dean's ear. Cas's mouth so close to him sent a shiver down Dean's spine. If the somewhat intimate exchange hadn't generated looks and whispers of distaste in their direction, what happened next certainly did. Dean looked down at Cas and smiled at the look of absolute rapture Cas wore on his face. Cas placed a hand on Dean's lower thigh and he squeezed a little in reassurance as he leaned in and dropped a sweet kiss on Dean's jaw.

"Yeah, okay." Dean said and he slumped back comfortably against the bench, extending an arm behind Cas and tucking his hand around Cas's shoulder. The woman sitting next to Cas stiffened immediately. Cas didn't seem to notice though and so Dean decided to ignore it. It wasn't until he began to hear whispers behind him, words like "together" and "abomination" hissed out insultingly that he began to feel uncomfortable once more. But again, Cas sat on happily by Dean's side waiting for the sermon to begin, so Dean chose to keep his eyes trained at the front of the congregation hall rather than turning to glare at the people behind him like he so badly wanted to.

As the leader of the church approached the pulpit and the congregation quieted down, Dean hoped less attention would be on him and Castiel and more on the message they were to hear that day. He received no such luck. As the sermon went on, more and more people began to stare. Finally, Dean pulled his arm away and rested both hands in his lap. He wasn't ashamed of what he and Cas were, but the looks people were now giving him, giving Cas, Dean couldn't bear for Cas to see. Luckily, Cas had kept his gaze solely on the leader of the church, listening intently to him speak of God and blessings and repentance, and hadn't once gazed at others in the congregation.

After the sermon was over and the final hymn had been sung, the congregation was released for social activity. Dean stood up right away and tugged on Cas's jacket. "C'mon Cas, let's get out of here." He grumbled. It felt like every man, woman and child in the congregation was staring at him and Cas or talking in a low voice about the "sinners" that had entered the church. He was eager to get out from underneath their judgmental gazes. 

"Dean, don't be unpleasant." Cas said standing up. "We should intermingle." 

"I don't think anyone here wants to 'mingle' with us." Dean pointed out, scanning the room with wary eyes. How could Castiel not see that they were being less than politely dismissed by the others in the congregation? 

Cas 'tskd' at Dean and made his way down the row out into the isle. "You can be anti-social if you'd like, Dean, but I'm going to interact with the Lord's faithful servants." 

Dean shook his head, muttering "faithful servants my ass," but followed Cas anyway. Castiel approached the elderly woman that had been sitting next to him during the service. She was in an elaborate hat and wore a blazer that was covered in some tacky looking flower. Her cracked lips were slathered in a mauve lipstick that matched her polyester skirt and she stood stone still when Castiel approached her.

"Hello." He said kindly, offering his hand to the woman. "I'm Castiel and this is Dean," he introduced. "We're -"

The elderly woman cut him off, "Oh I'm very aware of what you are." She said curtly before turning on her heel and stalking off.

"Visiting!" Dean shouted after her. "He was going to say we're visiting." 

Cas dropped his hand to his side and moved on to the next person, seemingly unaffected by what had just happened and in that moment, Dean was grateful for Cas's social ignorance. 

"Wasn't that a wonderful message?" he asked a tall man in an outdated suit coat and sunflower decked tie.

The man looked down at Castiel, judgment filling his eyes, "he spoke of remaining clean in the eyes of God, boy. Weren't you listening? Or were you too busy getting cozy with your friend, here?" the man gestured towards Dean.

"Hey, you got a problem?" Dean said stepping up and slightly in front of Cas. He puffed out his chest just a little bit so the man knew he meant business. The man stared daggers at Dean for a moment and then shook his head before turning to another man and starting a conversation about model airplanes. 

"Dean, that was unnecessary." Cas said quietly, tugging on Dean's arm drawing him out of a staring match with the back of sunflower-tie's head. 

"No it wasn't." Dean stated defiantly. "That guy was being a dick."

"Don't say 'dick', Dean, we're in the Lord's house." Castiel reminded him before leaving Dean's side and approaching the leader of the church himself. Dean shook his head and then followed closely behind. He was beyond ready to return to the motel, but Cas seemed dead set on striking up a conversation with at least one of these self-righteous shmucks. Poor, innocent, naive Cas. His naivety was part of what Dean loved about the ex-angel so much. It was a beautiful innocence that few humans possessed anymore. But it was also what made Cas extremely vulnerable and if there was one thing Dean couldn't keep his cool about it was Cas acting as a sitting duck for any sort of insult someone may choose to sling at him. He could save Cas all day every day from demons and werewolves and leviathan and poltergeists. But if there was one thing he couldn't protect Castiel from, it was the stinging words of an closed minded bastard with no filter. 

"I wanted to thank you for your message." Castiel said a warm smile on his face. Dean watched as the leader of the church turned and looked at Castiel with a guarded look on his face. 

"Ah, so you're the visitors I've been hearing so much about." The leader said, blatantly ignoring Cas's compliment and glancing to Dean before bringing his eyes back to Cas. 

"Yes, we're just passing through for work but we wanted to give thanks before leaving." Castiel explained. 

"And did you come for repentance as well?" the leader asked. Dean clenched his fists at his sides. His blood boiled beneath his skin and all he saw was red. No one, not one single person here, knew anything about him and Cas, yet they seemed more than happy to jump to assumptions and pass instantaneous judgment on them without giving it a second thought. They had no idea that Castiel had once been an angel of the Lord, a devout and faithful servant of his Father. They did not know, probably could not even comprehend, what Dean and Cas, with the help of many others, had done to save the very souls of those who offered scornful looks and hurtful accusations. It was all so infuriating. Dean looked to Castiel to see what his response would be. Surely he would set the leader straight. Tell him what was what. But Cas simply shook his head.

"Not today sir, only for thanks."

"You would do well to reorganize your spiritual priorities, son." The leader stated. "No unclean thing can dwell with God. I pray you'll contemplate that as you lay down unto the Lord tonight."

"Alright, that's enough." Dean barked at the leader of the church. "Cas, it's time to go." He said turning and grabbing Cas's upper arm. Dean ushered Castiel, who just followed along obediently, outside. He burst through the large oak doors and down the steps of the church. Only then did he release his grip on Cas, praying the other man wouldn't turn around and go back into the church, looking for more invectives.

The ride home was a silent one. 

Dean stormed in after Cas and slammed the door behind him. Cas's only reaction was a slight flinch. Dean vehemently pulled his tie from his collar and threw it on the bed which was soon followed by his suit coat. "We're never going back to church again, do you hear me?" He growled as he began working at the buttons on his shirt. His top button was being exceptionally stubborn and he was forced to face the mirror to maneuver it out of its slot. While doing so, he felt a gentle touch on his shoulder and turned around to find Cas, standing his usual mere inches away, wearing a look of complete sympathy. 

"Dean, please tell me what's wrong." He requested, his voice even and soothing. Even as he said it, Dean became slightly less upset. 

"The way those people looked at you, Cas, the things they said," Dean shuddered and he couldn't finish. His anger was rising again as the hissed insults and judging eyes floated back into his memory. 

"They looked at me no differently than they looked at you." Castiel pointed out, his head tilted to the side in confusion. Clearly he had not seen what Dean had. Dean began to pace. 

"I don't give a damn about how they look at me. They can stare down their noses at me and say about me whatever they hell they want. But not you. They had no right to go saying those things to you."

"To us, Dean." Cas corrected. "They said those things to us."

"It doesn't matter. We're not going back." 

Castiel sighed as he watched Dean muss up the carpet with his pacing. Finally, Cas reached out a hand and grabbed Dean's wrist, forcing him to stand still and face him. "Dean," he began gently, looking up at him through his lashes. Dean hated it when he did that. Only because he was so damn irresistible. "Do you know what I felt today?" he asked. 

Dean did not respond but only gazed down at Castiel's absolutely pure expression. 

"That was not a rhetorical question, Dean." Castiel prompted. 

Dean shook his head. Sadness? He wanted to ask. Hurt? Rejection? Judgment? All were emotions Dean never wanted Cas to experience. No matter how human he was. 

"I felt my Father's love for me." Cas finally enlightened. "And do you know what I heard?"

Dean turned his gaze to the floor, no longer able to meet Cas's eyes. He didn't feel worthy to even be sharing the same space with this perfect, faithful man. 

"I heard that He is proud of me. Of us. We do good things, Dean. We are good people. And today He was joyous that we chose to worship Him."

Dean chewed his bottom lip but other than that, remained silent. Castiel placed both hands on either side of Dean's face and brought Dean's gaze back to his own. "Dean, I know you don't want me to hurt. I know you want to protect me from ever feeling pain. But I'm human. It's inevitable now. You can't harbor me away every time you think something is going to cause me distress." Dean's eyes were now vulnerable and soaking in every word Cas said. "I'm flattered that you want a perfect life for me, really I am, but when have we ever known a perfect life? I don't even want that for myself."

"What do you want?" Dean asked quietly. He could feel a calming defeat ebbing its way inside him.

"I want you to be there to pick me up when I fall. Brush me off. Tell me everything will be okay." Dean nodded slightly, indicating he understood. Cas continued, "And as long as you are never the source of me feeling those emotions you're so desperately trying to protect me from, everything will be okay."

Dean couldn't stand it any longer. He pulled Cas into his arms and hugged him tightly, asking himself, for the millionth time, what he did to ever deserve this unceasingly wonderful being who taught him so much every day. "Okay." He finally whispered against Cas's neck as a few traitorous hot tears escaped his eyes. Castiel hugged him back like he was the most precious thing in the entire world. 

 

That night, Dean leaned on the doorframe of the bathroom, toothbrush in his mouth, scrubbing at his teeth and watched as Cas knelt at the side of the dingy motel bed and bowed his head over his clasped hands. He was muttering in Enochian, probably for privacy, but Dean could tell by the tone of his voice that Cas was thanking God, yet again. He couldn't help but feeling he could live 1,000 lifetimes and never measure up to Castiel's unwavering and childlike purity. 

After the two had climbed into bed and Cas's head was resting comfortably on Dean's shoulder, his breath warm on Dean's neck, Dean closed his eyes and began to offer a prayer of his own in gratitude for Cas. The act was awkward and the reverent words foreign to him but just in case someone was listening, he wanted them to know Cas was the best thing that'd ever happened to him. He was interrupted by Cas's drowsy muttering. 

"I prayed for you, Dean." He stated with a yawn. "I asked God to send you an angel to help heal your heart." Cas's raw and unwavering faith in God, even after all that had happened, was incredibly humbling to Dean. 

As Castiel's eyelids drooped, Dean offered him a gentle kiss on the forehead before replying quietly, "He already did."

Fin.


End file.
